


The Blue Off My Ass

by AQLM



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-26 21:28:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13866357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AQLM/pseuds/AQLM
Summary: Aethyta and Benezia have an unusual relationship, but somehow it works...





	The Blue Off My Ass

“Well that was an unmitigated disaster,” growled Aethyta, flopping herself over the couch in a unlikely display of consternation that made her bondmate laugh. Benezia sat down beside her and rubbed her shoulders, then pulled her into her lap.

“What do you think would happen, my beloved, when you walked into a group of Asari Matriarchs and accused them of being, how did you put it so eloquently, ‘a backwards group of old biddies with as much vision as…as…”

“As a nearsighted Batarian,” Aethyta continued. “Which is true! The mess with the Krogan proved as much. Here we are with one of the biggest turfs in the galaxy with firepower to spare but we can’t handle ourselves without a bunch of scaly birds showing up to save our bacon.”

She wriggled her way out of Benezia’s grasp and off the couch to pace around the floor. Benezia watched Aethyta pace liked a trapped animal, circling around the furniture and with a wild look in her eye. Benezia had half a mind to interpose herself between her mate and her favorite piece of art. A similar argument earlier in their relationship had ended in a conciliatory shopping trip to Illium and a very expensive replacement statue. Such outbursts had been tamped down over the years but it was still best not to tempt fate.

“My love, they are set in their ways,” soothed Benezia. “Thousands of years of inertia can’t be overturned by one asari, no matter how passionate she might be. Use the next few years to create a base of supporters. Eventually you will have the power to exact real change.”

“Nah, it won’t work,” said Aethyta with a scowl. “I wasn’t able to lead my own merc band and I was a damn good fighter. There’s no way I’m getting a few thousand asari to throw out their old dogma and agree we need to build an army instead of shaking our tits in a bar for two hundred of our best years. I go in there, I give my ideas, and they go laugh the blue off my ass.” 

She leaned against the wall and sighed. “Oh Nezzie, what am I doing?”

Benezia stood up and walked over to her, gathering her up into her arms. “You are being my powerful, brilliant bondmate. You are being every inch the woman I married.”

Aethyta nuzzled herself into Benezia and kissed the nape of her neck. “However do you put up with me?”

With a biotic rush, Benezia put them both on the floor, tangling their legs around each other. She initiated the passionate kiss that Aethyta reciprocated. Aethyta drew her nails hard down Benezia’s back and growled her love into Benezia’s ear. Benezia blushed and began pulling both of their clothing off. A dalliance on the floor in front of the bay windows might not be seemly but it was an appropriate way to spend an hour or two.

When their pleasure passed and the two matrons lay in a sweaty heap, Benezia belatedly answered, “Like that. That’s how I put up with you.”

“Ahh, using me for my body. It’s the least I can do.” She pulled them both to standing. “Dinner, my love. We can continue this later.”

Aethyta wasn’t a bad cook and Benezia contentedly let her bondmate prepare their food as she thumbed through her newest correspondence, skimming over the various resolutions and plans being put forth on Thessia. She was invited to speak on quite a few matters but not as many as she had been last year. This was probably Aethyta’s fault. There were whispers Benezia’s judgment might be clouded by such a volatile, unusual mate. If only they knew: she was more stable with such tumult in her house.

Still, Benezia had aspirations and plans. She’d had a taste of leadership in the past century as she and saw what the most powerful matriarchs could accomplish in a few decades. Aethyta would unlikely be part of that equation. It was a rare matriarch who retained her mates during her ascent through the asari hierarchy. However, that was the future and right now the present was too enjoyable to entertain ending her coupling. 

Aethyta spun the plates in front of the two of them. “Not half bad, if I do say so myself. Next time we go Citadel-side though I’ll pick up a better spice mix. Thessia stuff is too soft for my taste.” She laughed as took a bite of the food and initiated a coughing fit. “But not too soft for you. Don’t worry my love.” She pushed a glass of water towards Benezia, who gulped it rapidly. “The burn falls off quickly. The water will help.”

Benezia swished the liquid around in her mouth and forced it down. She ran her eyes over the smirking Aethyta. “Do you take joy in that my love?”

Aethyta gave a noncommittal shrug. “Teasing you? I guess. Feels like I get more on your level when I do.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s stupid. I’m like…a little kid, trying to get attention.”

“More on my level,” Benezia asked, though she sensed she already knew the answer. The masked sadness when Aethyta had made the quip made her heart ache.

“Yeah. You’re just…amazing. Brilliant, gorgeous, accomplished. There’s no one you can’t convince of anything. Shit, whenever we argue I know I’m going to end up taking your side within a few minutes. It’s why I don’t do it anymore.” 

Benezia moved the food away and reached across the table to grad Aethyta’s hands. The other asari looked profoundly uncomfortable.

“And you think you’re not worthy of me somehow?”

“I feel like I’m a goddamn pitstop, warming your bed and cooking your food until something sexier comes along.” Benezia hoped Aethyta didn’t notice her since. That was a more accurate summary of her prior thoughts than she wanted to admit. She tried to find a way to smooth it over without outright lying.

“I think we should worry less about whatever eventualities or hypotheticals are ahead of us and instead concentrate on our immediate…”

“Nezzie, you know that ain’t me.” Aethyta was agitated again, retrieving her hand from Benezia and flopping the food on her plate. “I’m a hothead, a loudmouth, and an embarrassment, I know. I’m a thousand other things. But that’s because I care about our future.” Aethyta sagged and pushed back from the table. “Not just our future – the asari. Our future, you and me. Do we have one?”

Benezia clutched her hands and leaned them on the table. “You and I? Yes, of course. I wouldn’t have married you if we didn’t. I wouldn’t have bought this house or moved back to Thessia.” She dodged the totality of the question.

Aethyta looked unconvinced. “And? That’s cash and time. We both have plenty of both even at our age.”

Benezia closed her eyes and reached into the parts of her heart she kept away even from her beloved. These were the places she put her insecurities and fears, her truest longings and forbidden desires. “There is something else we could do, Aethyta. Something that would show everyone just how much we loved one another.”

With dawning realization, Aethyta moved back towards the table. “You mean…a baby? You want to have a baby with me?”

“I mean there’s no truer bond between asari than to make a child together, my love.”

Aethyta rose and shook her head. “Nezzie, are you nuts? A pureblood? We could make a monster.”

“Or we could make someone amazing, Aethyta. Someone who shows that irrational passion and tempered logic benefit our people equally.” 

Aethyta jutted a finger out and squinted. “I thought you were the smarter of the two of us. I don’t know…” The fight went out of her suddenly. “You are probably one of the most amazing people I have ever been with. If it weren’t for our both being asari, I would have knocked you up long ago.”

Benezia contemplated her love with questioning eyes. She hadn’t anticipated resistance and she found herself in the unenviable position of convincing both this was worth the potential terrible consequences. There had to be more than only fear of a monstrous child.

“Aethyta, if you are worried about making an Ardat Yakshi, we can table this conversation right now and we can find another way to express our love. But if there is anything else you fear, tell me”

Aethyta’s eyes filled with tears that she tried to hide with her arm. “I worry I’ll get you pregnant and you’ll split because you have better things to do. I’ve had a few kids. Raised ‘em right, I think, but they’re long gone.” She clutched at Benezia with desperate strength. “If we make this little girl, I want to be there. Every day, every moment. She’ll be part of you.” Her face went flat and serious. “I worship you, Nezzie, and I’d treasure this little girl. You go off and have a career. I’ll stay home and help her be whatever she wants. Whatever she needs.”

Benezia kissed Aethyta and stroked the top of her fringe. “I promise you’ll be there with me every step of the way. I promise you’ll get to see her grow up and teach her how to be fierce.”

“Yeah. If we’re lucky, she’ll get your patience and my passion. The other way around…well, it won’t be pretty.”

Later that night after they melded, Benezia felt the spark of life conjured within her. It had been so long since she’d borne a child but she knew the sensation. It was fullness and lightness emanating from the core of her being. Aethyta slept next to her, snoring gently, and Benezia nestled up against her going through her messages. 

A chime sounded suddenly, heralding the arrival of a late-night missive. Benezia moved her hands over it. Strange, it was encrypted. She left her bed and went to the office where a terminal there could be made secure. The screen flickered with the sigil of a well-respected matriarch and the encoded symbols resolved into words. 

_Benezia,_

_The scientists of Athame’s temple have placed your name into my hands as one who may be trusted with the greatest secrets of our people. This is a matter of upmost importance to the asari, one that will change the fate of our people as it has in the past. More than this I cannot say even in this format._

_I beg you respect the discretion this will require. Even this communique must be deleted after you have read it. Tell no one you have heard from me in this way. I will be at the town meeting next week. Approach me with a discussion of Council politics as a convenient distraction. I eagerly anticipate our meeting._

_-Matriarch Iressa_

 

Benezia swallowed hard and purged the message from her screen. Iressa was powerful, with hundreds of thousands of followers. To be hand-selected by that matriarch was a tremendous honor and one that would never come again. The letter hinted at something tremendous that Benezia’s intellectual side was screaming for her to pursue. 

Yet what of the promise she had made not more than two hours ago? What of the child she kindled with Aethyta? Iressa would understand, Benezia reminded herself, that asari are well able to separate themselves from their personal lives. Whatever secrets Iressa would entrust with her she could easily guard from her mate. With a steadied heart, Benezia returned to bed. It would all be clear in the morning. Nothing would keep her from the family she had promised Aethyta.


End file.
